Freddy “Sez” Schuman, the one-eyed, cookware-clanking octogenarian who’s been an unofficial pinstripe mascot for 22 seasons was forced to panhandle for tickets at the new Yankee Stadium this past weekend.
In years past Schuman, who like Yogi Berra turns 84 next month, received free season tickets from sponsors such as Modell’s, or was simply let through the press gate with a wink from a stadium official.
On Opening Day he had no trouble getting into the new ballpark for free through the press gate, but on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday he had to depend on the kindness of fellow Yankee fans for free seats.
On Sunday he stood outside the stadium holding his frying pan and a sign that read, “Freddy Sez, Yankees say ‘I can’t go in. Must buy ticket!”
“The Yankees say I am a part of the stadium. What part am I, the toilet bowl?” Schuman said. “But the fans have come through. They gave me $40, and even $100 tickets.”
The uncertainty about his future presence at the stadium has given him insomnia and indigestion, Schuman said.
Yankee officials insist that shutting out their superfan was just a “miscommunication.” When Schuman first told the Post he was nervous about being shut out two weeks ago, a team spokeswoman said “We love Freddy and will accommodate him.”
“That’s fantastic news,” said Schuman, who lost his eye in a stickball injury, now lives on a fixed income of little more than $750 a month, he said.
He cannot afford the seats at the new game, and doesn’t really need one, since he spends his time in the stadium walking around and letting fans clank his pan with a spoon for good luck.
“Frankly I don’t know how some fans are going to afford these new prices,” he said.
Schuman said he loves the immense new ballpark and has only one wish.
“For some reason I have survived to this particular point even though all the members of my family are gone,” he said. “All I ask for is one more World Series parade.”